To say it has been a tough time to be a startup founder over the past two years is an understatement. We all know that venture capital funding has been down, valuations are down, interest rates are up, and the predicted merger boom has yet to materialize (although deals are still happening). Throughout the summer, there were many news stories about a purported wave of startup shutdowns that have resulted from the economic rollercoaster we have been on, warning those numbers could increase as we move into late 2023. READ MORE